Ten Tips for Car Buyers

Search StraightTalk

Home

Buying Guides

Car Buying Guide

Ten Tips for Car Buyers

1. SLOW DOWN! Speed in the automobile business is a very dangerous thing.

2. TALK TO US! CCU has a different agenda than most automobile dealerships and banks: Since you own us, we want you to save money, not spend it! That's why you never have to negotiate with us. And that's why we'll give you answers without confusion or pressure.

3. BUDGET BEFORE YOU SHOP. Know what you plan to spend on a car before you begin to shop. Use the calculators in the StraightTalk Car Buying Guide to help you determine that sum.

4. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Is safety and reliability important to you? How about mechanical reliability? Sellers can't tell you if the cars they sell are unsafe or mechanically unreliable. We can help.

5. DON'T DEAL WITH DEALERSHIPS THAT REQUIRE YOU TO SIGN A MANDATORY BINDING ARBITRATION AGREEMENT. Call dealerships before you visit them and ask. If they have require such an agreement, tell them you plan to take your business elsewhere.

6. DON'T BUY ON YOUR FIRST VISIT! All dealerships want to sell you the first time you're there. Why? They make more if you don't shop!

7. NEVER LEAVE A DEPOSIT UNTIL THE SELLER HAS AGREED TO YOUR PRICE. Sellers want your deposit so you can't leave.

8. DON'T FALL FOR "SPOT" DELIVERY. You know: take it home "on the spot," the first time you've seen the car. Spot delivery means your emotions, not your pocketbook, are ruling the transaction.

9. STOP THE TRANSACTION IF YOU FEEL PRESSURED OR CONFUSED.

10. REMEMBER THAT THE PRICE OF THE NEW CAR ISN'T WHERE SELLERS MAKE MONEY! SO ALWAYS COMPARE DEALER FINANCING TO OUR FINANCING—WE ARE USUALLY CHEAPER!Many dealers will sell you a car for "cost" but make still make thousands on you—on financing, on your trade-in, on add-ons and products such as credit insurance and warranties.

This site contains links to other sites ("Linked Sites") which are not under the control or direction of the Credit Union. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by the Credit Union of the site or any association with its operators. The Linked Sites are not bound by the Credit Union's privacy policy and therefore you access them at your own risk.

Auto Buying Guide

1. Dealership Tactics

2. Buying a Vehicle

3. Research Before Buying

4. Buying a New Vehicle

5. Negotiating the Right Way

6. Buying a Used Vehicle

7. The Reward

Ten Tips for Car Buyers

Calculate Available Cash

Your Available Cash is the maximum amount you have to spend on a vehicle. This calculator enables you to determine 1) the amount of cash a vehicle loan will yield and 2) the total Available Cash from all sources, including the loan, you have to purchase the vehicle.

If the estimated amount of Available Cash is too little for the vehicle you would like to purchase, you have several options. A higher monthly payment and/or a longer loan term will typically yield higher initial Loan Cash, thus increasing your Available Cash. You may also want to consider alternative vehicles that better fit your budget.

To estimate the value of your trade, visit the Edmunds web site.

Current rates and terms for CCU vehicle loans are available on our rates page.

Available Cash Calculator
Trade-in value	$
Amount you owe on your trade-in	$
Down payment	$
Monthly loan payment you can afford	$
Loan term (in months)
Interest rate	%

Loan Cash	$
Available Cash	$

This calculator is solely for informational purposes. It gives you reasonably accurate results of your Available Cash. Results for your actual loan will vary based on your final rate and loan amount.